James Cooke was still a child when tattoos first caught his attention.

“When I was like a young kid, I kind of found out about tattoos and then it was just a journey from there to get one. I was trying to get one from the time I was 10. I was like, ‘I need a tattoo’.”

He finally got one at 15 or 16 and was immediately hooked.

“When I got it, I was taken aback by the experience. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. From that point on, everything else in the world became noise.”

Mr Cooke began an apprenticeship in 2013, when he was 18, and started working full-time in 2016.

Today, at Seasoned Salt Tattoo, the creative process varies depending on the client. Some arrive with specific designs while others give him considerably more freedom.

“There’s also a type of client that comes in and knows roughly what they want, knows my work and gives me the freedom to apply my own decision-making and process, and they trust me to come up with the best thing possible.”

“I’ve been pretty lucky in my career to have the freedom to execute things as I want to do it. But it’s also delicately balanced with work that is the opposite.”

Whatever the brief, communication is essential.

“The most important thing is the level of communication and understanding between client and artist. No matter how good the tattoo is, if the communication isn’t right, you can end up with a well-done tattoo that isn’t quite right.”

Mr Cooke says Bermuda is a constant source of inspiration.

“I definitely draw a lot of inspiration from us as a culture and a people. I draw a lot of inspiration from a lot of local plants, animals, flora, fauna. Sea life, people, lifestyle.”

He particularly enjoys tattooing fishermen and creating pieces connected to their culture.

“I am familiar with the culture of it, so I can give them something they won’t be able to get anywhere else. It’s my understanding of the intricacy of their lifestyle.”

Bermuda's motorcycle culture and arts community also influence his work. Growing up in different parts of the island also helps when someone requests something distinctly Bermudian.

“I’m very familiar with the areas, the imagery, the sayings and the street signs and landmarks. So I can give a really personal touch to the designs.”

For people who have never been inside a tattoo studio, the process may be more involved than expected.

“The amount of people who come in and ask if I draw or design tattoos is astonishing. We definitely draw, sometimes right on the skin.”

Tattooing also differs from many other art forms because the work is created directly on the person buying it.

“Every tattoo is different because every person is different. Even if the design is the same, it’s still a different tattoo and a different experience.”

That relationship requires emotional awareness as well as technical skill.

“You have to be careful. Emotionally aware. You have to really read the room and really be aware.”

Some tattoos can carry particularly personal meaning.

“Sometimes people get tattoos because they’ve been through something really traumatic. Sometimes to process their feelings. You have to be really attuned to it to make people feel comfortable.”

And unlike visiting a gallery, the client witnesses the entire creative process.

“You go to a gallery and see the finished work. You don’t get to see the behind-the-scenes. With the tattoo, it’s all in front of you.”

Some of Mr Cooke's proudest work has come when clients give him complete creative freedom, including two recently completed sleeves on one client — one colourful neo-Japanese design and another combining underwater imagery and Greek mythology.

“I’m really proud of those two arms because it really showed what I’m capable of while also showcasing what I’m capable of with complete freedom of design.”

After a decade in the industry, he's now thinking about where his work goes next.

“I’m just happy to be still working after 10 years and still be relevant. I’m really looking forward to pioneering my own personal style as I have really heavily catered to a broader audience for most of my career.”

He's also expanding into fine art and murals.

“Hopefully, the people who see those look into the tattoo world and say, ‘I really like what he’s doing.’ Use that as a portal or vehicle for more people to get tattooed who originally wouldn’t.”